Phil and the rest of the boys followed the carpenter. The board was taken into the shop, and not a word said about the incident which had just occurred.
“We have no saw-horses, or trestles as some call them. But we can use a couple of these boxes, and in a few days we shall be able to make all the furniture we need in the shop,” said the
carpenter as pleasantly as though no breach of discipline had occurred.
The pupils expected him to say something on the subject of skylarking in general, and the late case in particular. He directed a couple of the boys to place the boxes where he wanted them, and then to put the board upon them.
“There will be waste in that board: I think the one I picked out would have done better. It was just the right length,” said Ben Ludlow, who was rather displeased because his board had been rejected.
“How wide was your board, Ben?” asked the carpenter.
“Just one foot to a hair. It was exactly wide enough to make two shelves,” answered Ben.
“You think you were right, Ben, and I am glad to see that you are ready to argue your side of the question. If I don’t prove that you were wrong, I hope you will stick to your opinion,” replied Mr. Brookbine, as he took one of the slitting-saws from the bench.
He sawed about three inches into one of the lids of the boxes. Calling Ben close to him, he applied his rule, where the sixteenths were marked,
and asked the doubtful student how wide the slit was.